As someone who believed walking poles were exclusively for douchebags and grandparents, Im holding up my hands and confessing to being a convert. The walk follows the ridge across the chalk downs, passing many of the . For the most part though I carried all my own supplies as I was wild camping so not able to stock up. And you are never far from a pub or road if you need a getaway. This long-distance trail runs for 100 miles across the breadth of the South Downs from Winchester to Eastbourne. The best day of the walk is undoubtedly the final day the trail over the white cliffs of the Seven Sisters and Beachy Head is known as one of the best day walks in the country. I highly recommend staying here. There is something beautiful about the UKs rugged coastline in winter! Dinners were easily accessible, too. The South Downs Way National Trail is a glorious 100-mile (160km) national trail between Winchester and Eastbourne through the South Downs National Park. They undulate like a grassy spine from Winchester to Eastbourne, encompassing some of the most romantic, accessible walking trails in Britain, a welter of heathlands and peaks, grazing sheep and pounded footpaths.Kissing gates punctuate the chalk hills, the fields beneath the ridges a patchwork of farmland, green or . Take a Look at our recommended walks. Typically the ideal route length is 4 days averaging around 25 miles per day. Can you wild camp on the South Downs Way? In particular when you reach the cliffs and have the dramatic coastline ocean views. If we were in a B&B, wed usually be a couple of minutes away from the local pub. Are there any places that would recommend for lunch stops or cafes for takeaway on the route please? I loved Winchester and wished Id had more time to explore its beautiful buildings. Distance: 100 miles over three days. Ah, I love that. Personally, I use aMoonCupand find it works well for hiking as you dont need to change it so often. Long Man of Wilmington & Litlington White Horse. I remember reading Wild and deciding I was going to walk the PCT, too. Subpar gear but superior English weather. South Downs: England's Mountains Green. And if, like me, you dont actually have any arches, the walk can be even more excruciating. It might be easier using a South Downs Way Route Planner app such as Komoot, which are designed to provide hikers with useful information and to work offline should you lose signal. If you are planning on walking the South Downs Way while camping en route, heres a suggested itinerary you might like to follow. Follow me on Facebook, TwitterandInstagram. The South Downs Way is only about an hour from London and is easily accessible by public transport. The Shoe Inn, the village pub, is a friendly welcome on the South Down's Way. Some great tips here for walking the South Downs Way. When riding the South Downs Way, you may wish to stop over at a horse-friendly B&B or find a livery yard for the evening. You can carry most of your food, opting for sandwiches and simple pasta meals cooked on your stove at night (ignoring the pub temptations along the way).20-30 a day should be plenty for campsites, DIY food and the odd drink/ice cream although youll also need to add in transport costs (we spent 53 each on return trains to London) and your gear which you may already have. Arrival day if you need to overnight in Winchester I suggest staying at The Old Vine (140 for 2 people including a great breakfast) which is conveniently located for transport and to start the trail. I think Id be adding an extra day to my trip if I was going to do it. Countryside and cultural events take place throughout the year in the towns and villages. Walking the South Downs Way is a great option for anyone wanting an easy/moderate long-distance trail in the UK that can be completed in under 10 days, at a very chilled pace - or a week if you want to move a bit quicker. Alfriston:The Star Inn The Star Inn is one of the oldest in the country and it has a fantastic pub to eat at. The Cicerone South Downs Way guide book is my favourite, although the Trailblazer one is also good. I preferred to the Hadrians Wall Walk and my boyfriend enjoyed it more than the Cotswold Way. 9 miles. And let me know if you are planning to do the SDW! It runs from Winchester in Hampshire to Eastbourne in Sussex.. Water wasnt so easy to come by on the trail. It came with an en-suite bathroom complete with bath, which was greatly appreciated for soaking my blisters. For the start point, you want to head to Winchester. I have used the basis of this information to plan my route, ready for when we start to ease COVID-19. May 4, 2021. Lots of people have accidentally fallen to their deaths getting too close or being distracted taking pictures. I can recomend checking out: Here are some useful links to other resources, as well as links to blogs to give you a different perspective from others who have hiked the route: Thank you for reading my guide and I hope it was helpful I really do love this hike and I hope this will make it easier for you to plan your own adventure. I set out on 10-mile walk once a week in the two months leading up to the South Downs Way. If wed been staying in hotels and b&bs theres no doubt we would have kept to 4 days with the promise of a dry bed and shower each night. The views are pleasant and consistent. Awesome website! Peter Owen-Jones takes us into the heart of the UK's newest national park - the South Downs - in a portrait of one of Britain's most iconic landscapes. But with some considerations. I invested in this high-end pairfrom Black Diamond and adored them. The South Downs Way pases through the South Downs a beautiful area, which may soon become a National Park. Website Design, Build & Digital Marketing by WRD. Day 1: Winchester to East Meon (18 miles)Staying at: Angel Cottage B&B (58 for 2 including breakfast) perfectly located on the SDW. We wild camped the whole way, bringing all the food with us bought in advance. The Hadrians Wall Trailblazer guide had been fantastic to use, so I knew I needed to pick up the same guide for the South Downs Way the latest version was published in 2022. We stayed at the Ecolodge while walking the South Downs Way. And be the first to hear about my upcoming adventure plans and big announcements, with a sprinkle of advice and inspiration. Theres great recommendations on pubs to eat in, perfect lunch stops along the way, and accommodation to stop off at. The South Downs Way isn't a particularly high-elevation hike, but that doesn't mean there aren't great views. In terms of weather windows from April-October will give you the best weather. Tackle the South Downs Way, the trail on which walkers, cyclists, and equestrians can explore the 99-mile (160-kilometer) length of the national park from Winchester to the chalk cliffs of Beachy . Its lightweight and excellent for long-distance hikes. As UK is especially prone to rain Id also add waterproof trousers to this list. A big section of the South Downs is privately owned farmland which you shouldnt be camping on without permission. For those of you who want to make your walk a little easier, there is a bag transportation service you can utilise. I'm Lauren and I've been travelling the world on a permanent basis since 2011. :D Ive walked short sections of the SDW before, and its such an underrated part of the world as is the South Coast in general. From near and far, the South Downs is an area of . Once youve finished your hike, head to the ocean for a swim/paddle and then grab a bag of chips. (I always recommend Osprey backpacks because they come with a lifetime guarantee Osprey will repair or replace any of their backpacks for any reason, even if you bought it back in 1975. The park is bountiful with many places to stay including hotels, bunkhouses, Bed and Breakfasts, campsites and even yurts and shepherds huts. Also check out my recently published book Three Stripes South, all about my first big adventure hiking the length of Israel. Start and finish: Winchester and Eastbourne. How easy would it be to camp on the South Downs Way? The South Downs is a long range of chalk hills, and the trail runs largely along the top of them. For this reason, the only suitable places we found were small flat spots very near to the trail itself. Heres one for all my solo women out there: the South Downs Way felt extremely safe to walk alone. We started on the 8th July and it landed us with wonderful sunshine. All the hotels and b&bs come with a personal recommendation they are clean, comfortable and have great customer service. My biggest recommendation is therefore to invest in gear for the walk several months before you intend on walking it, then practice, practice, practice to make sure its a perfect fit. Although there are long-distance car parking options in Winchester, Id urge you to do your bit for the environment and take the train. Google Maps is a great tool to use to plan your food stops each day. Day 6: Poynings to Lewes 13 miles Camping at Spring Barn Farm (Kingston Rd, Lewes, BN7 3ND)***Note that Spring Barn Farm has now closed. Hi! At the weekend, the trail gets crammed with visitors and dog walkers. arduino credit card skimmer. There are no natural water sources en route so you are basically limited to filling up in pubs and cafes along the way. I do a lot of camping with my job (running the womens adventure Light was already starting to come through the windows at half four in the morning. February - April: AustraliaMay: South KoreaJune: The U.K.July: IrelandAugust: Mauritius, Rodrigues. lionel richie lytham st annes. Yes, it was so much fun :-) If I hadnt torn my feet up, it would have probably been one of the most enjoyable things Ive done! Counting every gram and dont want to over pack if i dont need to. Ultra hikers and runners often cover the distance in a 2-day 100mile challenge (hats off to them!). 2. For the most part, youll be walking alone without any other humans in sight. On one day, I walked the vast majority of the path alone. A linear route which forms the seventh part of the Sussex Hospices Trail. For something fancier, I can suggest heading to Skylar which is a beautiful restaurant. These 2 guys walked it while pushing a pram for their dogs! Thanks Shaun.happy it has helped with the planning! Where the only decision you have to make is which excellent pub to eat your meals in. I decided I wanted to stretch myself more as a hiker and to try a multi-day hike..specifically one that was wild camping. We recommend that you wear your usual riding attire, as well as waterproofs if the weather is looking like it could be damp. I wont say its impossible to get lost on the South Downs Way mostly because I did actually get lost on the South Downs Way. "The Palestinians are a miserable people and they deserve to be.". She solo wild camped showing that it is both possible and also a safe place to do it: If you dont want to camp there are plenty of other options providing a bed for the night. Hadrians Wall is a little easier in terms of walking surface, so you could also do a few days of that. Sign up to my newsletter to hear when that happens. The South Downs Way is one of 16 National Trails in the UK. Someone who's miserable feels absolutely awful. The route passes by it on the way out of town. I, however, recommend staying in as many pubs and B&Bs as possible the accommodation was one of the highlights of our walk! This is a very manageable trail in so much as the route is easy to follow and the terrain is flat and with very little ascent. But nothing steep or too big. It wasnt rare for us to walk for a couple of hours without seeing another human. The chalk downland provides good going even after rain. If hiking in peak season you will be able to make use of the occasional pub and cafe (although youll be expected to buy something if you do use the facilities). There are a number of steep inclines and descends but once on the top of the ridge, the majority of the Way is flat and not too strenuous. What that means is that unless youre camping, youll need to wander off the trail each evening, then kick off every morning with a mile-odd trek uphill to rejoin the path. Legally you are not allowed to camp on the South Downs. Although wild camping isnt the easiest on the trail and most people opt for b&bs or campsites, its absolutely doable (more on that below). Thats why I recommend investing in hiking poles for you walk, even if you hate them. Take a look at our guide for recommended walks. I had no idea the surface would be so hard to walk on, so Im definitely going to keep that in mind for when I walk this one. It is possible to carry a weeks worth of supplies although your bag will be very heavy so planning to stock up halfway is your best option. The South Downs is fantastic riding country. Fantastic breakfast with homemade sourdough bread (the owner runs classes on how to make sourdough bread, so you know its going to be great!). Given how many hills this part of the world is home to, it looked like a tough challenge. Duration: 8 to 10 days. You'll find some of the best stargazing spots in England in places like Old Winchester Hill, Harting . This PDF highlights a number of equestrian parking sites, indicating the ease of approach to the car park, the space available for maneuvering a horsebox, the safety of tacking up in the area and access to bridleways from each. Although the quiet is nice, people watching can also be very entertaining! Your email address will not be published. - Daniel Pipes. Looks like you had an amazing time and such an achievement! The 9 day trip is done at a more leisurely pace. The park comprises of an area of chalk upland which stretches from Winchester in Hampshire, through West Sussex to Eastbourne in East Sussex. There are 1200km of bridleways spreading through the National Park for riders to enjoy - everything from a gentle trot along a country track to a hack up to the top of the Downs. Just search restaurant and it will highlight all the cafes and food options in your area. These rocks were subsequently uplifted to form the Weald-Artois Anticline. Day three: 28 miles to Winchester (25 miles on the trail). My backpack weighed just 5 kg and contained very little, so as long as you pack light, you wont feel the need to have it transported. Thanks! Ive done long sections of this walk and Im now going to be completing the final 40 miles (Steyning area to Eastbourne) over two days in 2 weeks time. Follow the South Downs Trail to Winchester or eastward towards Old Winchester Hill, Petersfield & on to Eastbourne. But as anyone who has tried wild camping and a self-contained hike knows, there is some satisfaction to being out in the elements overnight.even if it does mean getting a bit wet! I reached across my camp-bed to feel the temperature of the baby To celebrate the release of my debut book Three Stripes South, I'm running a Christmas special! Or you can subscribe to my YouTube channel. The trail stretches 100 miles from the historic city of Winchester to the coastal chalk hills on the South Coast. 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